Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 64865 2005-12-31 05:35:00 Large chunk of mysterious used space after format Bazman (6587) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
416918 2005-12-31 05:35:00 I formated a 140 GB HDD and after the format there's roughly 21 GB of used space. I have no clue whatsover this mysterious used space could be. I did this format after the HDD's MFT table was corrupt, which I posted about before.
I used Partition Magic, did another format, resized the clusters to 512kb, made it a primary partion instead of logical. Not that I think all this would do any good.
But that used space is still there. I this something that's like permanently on the disk? that would really suck coz, 20 gigs, is a lot of lost space.
Help appreciated.

edit, just did a properties check with PM and that 21 gigs falls under the bad category, not the used. this sounds like bad f'ing news.
time to hammer on my pc?? :badpc:
Bazman (6587)
416919 2005-12-31 05:39:00 Now you know why the MFT table got screwed.

That is one HDD that should go in the bin.
godfather (25)
416920 2005-12-31 12:51:00 Would it help if I "Zero-Fill" the HDD. I hope you know what that is. If it doesn't get that space back, should it be destined for the bin? can I still use the other 120 Gig? or does one MFT failure indicate it'll surely happen again?

and no, i still don't know what screwed the MFT table up in the first place. I was just doing things as normal, then bang. If you know what the reason was or might've been, then plz tell me.
Bazman (6587)
416921 2005-12-31 14:12:00 Most of my Hard drives have a few GB missing when there is nothing on them, the smaller ones have about 2GB missing but my 250GB HDD can only hold 231GB! Dunno why this is, but I think its normal... or not, I dunno! Adam678 (6880)
416922 2005-12-31 20:32:00 A 250 GB HDD will show as about 232 GB under Windows
The drive makers use base 10 (decimal) but Windows reports as Binary.
250/1.024/1.024/1.024 = 232.8 GB

If I had a drive that had that much in the way of bad sectors I would not trust it with any data. Its usually a creeping disease. Zero filling has no relevance as I see it.
godfather (25)
416923 2005-12-31 20:49:00 I agree with "godfather",once you start getting bad sectors it will only get worse.

I'd back up all data and files you wish to keep, and buy a new one, and/or buy a new HD, install as a slave and using a copy program like "Nortons Ghost" clone everything over to your new drive, then set new drive as Master.

However its not all bad, after you install the new HD it would be a good time to see what the insides of a HD looks like. :)
WhiteWolf4 (3713)
416924 2006-01-01 10:27:00 So are you saying my 250GB hard drive that can only hold 231GB is full of bad sectors and will probably get worse???? Adam678 (6880)
416925 2006-01-01 10:43:00 Nope , but Bazman's drive is on the way out

And shouldn't be trusted

:badpc:
KatiMike (242)
1